In this novel, the narrator, Khaled, is a middle-aged man wandering the streets of London just before the Arab Spring. He is reuniting with his old friend, Hosam Zowa, a restless spirit and former promising writer who has been on the move for years. Khaled reflects on their friendship and his own journey as he navigates the heart of London.
Khaled’s upbringing in Benghazi, Libya, is marked by his father’s secret hatred for Colonel Qaddafi, a regime he documented in a hidden history book. Inspired by two pivotal events, Khaled’s path leads him to the UK. The first is the influence of a Middle Eastern presenter on the BBC World Service who read a story by the young writer Hosam Zowa, who would later be executed by Qaddafi’s hit squad in London. The second is a book about the nuances of translation by an Edinburgh University professor. Khaled is accepted to study at Edinburgh, and his departure in 1980 marks the last time he sees his family.
At Edinburgh, Khaled observes that Libyan students fall into three categories: “writers” who spy for the Libyan government, “readers” pursuing academic goals, and the well-connected “rest” seeking a carefree university experience. Khaled befriends another “reader,” Mustafa al Touny, and they clandestinely discuss Libyan politics, eventually deciding to travel to London for a protest against the regime. They only share their plans with Khaled’s Lebanese friend, Rana.
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